


Hotel Room Drabbles

by twistyscrubs



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Cormac Hayes - Freeform, F/M, Grey's Anatomy - Freeform, Meredith Grey - Freeform, Merhayes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28766838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twistyscrubs/pseuds/twistyscrubs
Summary: Quarantining together in the small confines of a hotel room, Meredith Grey and Cormac Hayes fall for one another a little more each and every day. An ongoing collection of one-shots detailing their hours spent together throughout the pandemic.
Relationships: Meredith Grey & Cormac Hayes, Meredith Grey/Cormac Hayes
Comments: 12
Kudos: 50





	1. Steam

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to do a small collection of short drabbles based on the response to my Whiskey Dreams (M) piece I published recently. While you don't have to read that piece to follow along with this ongoing handful of one-shots, it will definitely provide you with a welcome, steamy add-on to this collection. I have no established label for where this duo is at in their friendship/relationship in this, so I'll let you determine that for yourself.

The comfortable air of the hotel room was a welcome feeling as the two returned from spending 16 hours straight jumping back and forth between calling codes on dying patients to performing emergency surgery together on a 14-year-old boy. Standing by the operating table may have been the most relaxing part of the day for both of them. Entering the quiet hotel room meant it was time for just a handful of hours of peace and quiet, paired up with a few moments of... you know. 

Feeling the shower rain hot water over her body, burning off the pain of a long shift, not to mention the residual germs she felt following her everywhere, Meredith relaxed into the feeling of those 16 hours being washed away for good. It was her time to escape from it all. There were days the pain of a long shift was best spent being washed down the drain with ten minutes of loud music blaring through the hotel room bathroom, probably pissing off all of the neighboring guests. Some days, on the other hand… 

“Shh, I’ve got you,” Cormac said softly as he wrapped his arms around her body from behind and held her close, kissing her shoulder as he rocked her under the steady stream of hot water. 

Her tears came hard, flooding down her cheeks as she tried to wash away the pain of telling people’s loved ones they’d died, not to mention the pain of her tired, aching feet that never seemed to get a break for long enough to catch up. Some days she was the one pouring her tears down the drain, other days it was him that she was holding onto, stroking his back gently to ease the suffering they both felt as the long days dragged on. 

“I’m just so tired,” she squeaked out between sobs, allowing him to hold her body as tight as he could to help soothe her. 

He turned her around and pulled her into his arms again, stroking his fingers through her wet hair and nodding as he held her face to his chest, “I know, babe. I know.” He shifted to reach for the loofah she’d hung on a hook inside the shower, extending his arm to pump a dollop of body wash onto it for her. He stepped a few inches back to look at her, seeing her puffy, red eyes from her tears and heat-reddened skin from the temperature of the shower water. He placed a finger under her jaw to tilt her face up to his before bending down to press a kiss on her forehead. She sighed into his contact as he ran the loofah down her sides, gently over her breasts, and continued to cleanse her body from head to toe. She kept her hand on his bicep as he moved the loofah at different angles, cleaning all the way around her body. 

Her tired, swollen eyes closed as he turned her around and began washing her hair delicately with the shampoo and conditioner that rested on the shelf inside the hotel room shower. He ran each product through her hair quickly, but thoroughly, allowing the water to rinse it clean each time. As she stood under the flow of water to finish rinsing the final wash of conditioner out of her hair, he proceeded to wash himself off with his own loofah before hanging it back in its rightful spot. 

He wrapped his arms back around her, pulling her into his chest and kissing the top of her wet hair softly. He nuzzled her close to him, rocking her gently as the water continued to flow. “We’re going to get through this. All of this,” he whispered, “Now let’s get some rest.” She nodded, looking up at him as he shifted away from her to turn off the water and help her step out.

He held out a thick, white bath towel for her, wrapping it gracefully around her body before doing the same with his own. He pulled her in close, looking down to see her resting her chin on his chest and eyes looking up at him. 

“Thank you,” she said softly. 

He nodded and looked down at her, leaning down to kiss her lips softly, “I’ve got you. You’ve got me. Any time.” 

They didn’t need forever anymore. They each needed the person who understood them in the now. They each needed a partner who could feel when they’d found their breaking point and needed to escape from it all. Thankfully for them, as the steam cleared within the walls of the small room, they each basked in the relief that they’d finally found that person.


	2. Braid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fluffier piece for our quarantining duo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad you all enjoyed the first chapter! This piece is all a collection of one-shots, so they will continue to maintain the same theme and setting, but not a direct continuation of time. Enjoy!

Getting ready in the morning felt like hell these days. It was so much easier to head in for a night shift after spending all day lounging around. Scrambling around at six in the morning used to be nothing. It was just routine. Now it felt like agony to get out the door and to the hospital by seven. 

Throwing her brush down onto the bathroom counter, she anchored her fingertips against the sink and tightened them, trying to crush away the stress building inside her. Something so simple felt so difficult. She just needed to get this hair into its secure position so she could head out the door without any more issues. 

“Meredith?” She heard from around the corner. It made her sigh to hear him say her name in such a concerned tone. She really didn’t mean to make him feel like anything was wrong. “Everything okay?” His voice was soft and caring. 

She turned her face to look at Cormac standing in the bathroom doorway. Her hair fell over her shoulders and cascaded around her face, parted from where she’d attempted to fix it herself. 

“Yeah,” she sighed, looking down at the sink as her weight rested into her arms that held her up from the counter. “Yeah, I’m fine.” 

“I hate that word,” his voice growled in a low tone. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway, looking her over. 

She smirked, looking over to him again, accepting his genuine concern. “There’s nowhere to easily braid my hair at work anymore and I don’t want to ask any of the nurses to do it because they have enough on their plates. Maggie had been doing it for me, but she’s working opposite of me right now, so I’ve got to get this hair up myself before going in. I just need a few minutes. I’ll be ready to go soon.” 

He glanced once more at her and stepped by her, grabbing the hairbrush and scattered assortment of hair ties and bobby pins in his hand. 

“I was using–…” She muttered as he took her hand, pulling her back into the bedroom area of the hotel room.

He sat down on the bed, scooching back enough to give her space to sit down between his legs on the edge of the bed. “Sit,” he commanded, dropping the collection of hair supplies beside him on the bed. 

She scrunched her eyebrows together, tilting her head in question before following his order and settling down between his legs. She wasn’t about to question what the hell was going on as he quickly began fixing the part in her hair, brushing it delicately down two sides. His hands instantly began working along her hairline, french braiding her hair into the two braids she normally wore. He worked the braid down the length of her hair, repeating the process on the other side. He then moved the two braids into position on the back of her head, bobby-pinning them into place. 

“Perfect,” he said softly, placing the last pin. 

She smiled as she stood up and looked into the mirror above the desk across the bedroom, “Where on earth did you learn to do this?” She felt the braid with her fingertips, admiring his work. 

“My little sister spent many years in ballet,” he said. “The future surgeon in the family was the only one capable of handling those tight braids. Plus I’ve spent enough hours with you to know you wear yours in the exact same fashion every day you’re in surgery.” 

She turned to look at him still as he sat on the bed. “Thank you,” she whispered, cupping his cheeks with both hands and leaning down to kiss his forehead. He smiled up at her, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her into him, kissing her lips softly before taking it deeper as he fell onto his back and pulled her down with him, making her giggle. He placed his hands on her cheek to lift her face away from his, “Anytime. I’ll take them down for you tonight.” He winked, caressing her cheek. 

She kissed him gently once more and nodded, climbing off of him and fixing her sweater, “Looking forward to it.” 

“Are we going to get going now, or are we going to make the mutual decision to be late once again?” He asked, standing up and reaching over to the dresser to throw a handful of things into his bag for work. 

She giggled, smirking over to him, “We’ve already been late once this week, so I think we better get going.” 

He raised his eyebrows teasingly, nodding and reaching for his phone and keys. They both knew they’d be back within the walls of their hotel room late that night, hopefully without too much stress and exhaustion weighing them down. They each provided one another with such an escape from the pain a long day or night of work would bring them. 

Sixteen hours passed before Meredith was finally able to make her way to Cormac’s office, knocking on the door before hearing him respond to come in. 

“Hey you,” she said with a smile as she entered his office and pulled off her mask, closing the door behind her. 

“Dr. Grey,” he said charmingly, standing up and walking around his desk, leaning against the front of it, “I’m just wrapping up. Are we going to get out of here any time soon?”

She nodded, walking towards him as he extended his arms out for her, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her to him. She placed her hands on his arms, relaxing into the feeling of his thumbs kneading against her hip bones. She could feel him working the stress out of her body with just the touch of his fingertips. “I’m ready to go when you are,” she said softly, “but you finish whatever you need to.”

He looked into her eyes, continuing his soft caress of her hips, “How was your day?” He asked in a quiet tone, nearly whispering it. He could always tell when she was burying something beneath it all.

She shrugged, looking away from him, “Fine.”

He cleared his throat purposely, calling her out for her use of the ‘fine’ he despised so much. He reached up to tuck a stray hair from her tired braids back behind her ear. 

“Eight-hour surgery. Guy didn’t make it. Had to go tell his wife and three kids,” she muttered, not making eye contact. Cormac reached up with his right hand, stroking her jaw to make her focus on him. He looked into her eyes and nodded, listening for her to go on. She shrugged as a tear escaped her eye, “Just hit close to home, you know?”

“I know,” he whispered, pulling her into him for a hug, stroking her back gently as he held her to him. “I’m done here. Let’s get out of here and go have a drink in the room.”

She nodded, pulling back to arm’s length and letting him stand from his slouched position against the front of his desk. “I’d like that,” she said softly. 

Less than an hour had passed until they were back in the comforts of their hotel room they’d been calling home lately. The darkness outside and the dim lighting of the room was relaxing after such a long and exhausting day. The two unloaded their bags and began to undo their clothing to change into something cozy, each having already showered and changed to casual clothing back at the hospital. 

After pouring each of them a glass of whiskey over ice, Cormac sat down on the bed and patted the sheets, motioning for her to come sit down in front of him. She immediately obliged with a soft smile and stepped across the room in her baggy t-shirt and panties combo. She sat down against his leg, relaxing as he began to work his fingers into her hair and slip the pins out, removing each braid from it’s position and undoing them gently. Her hair fell over her shoulders with a tight, wavy pattern as he fluffed out the creases from the pins and ties. He moved his fingers through the waves, grazing her scalp gently with every stroke. 

She sighed back into his chest, relaxing as he ran his fingers down to her thighs, brushing up under the loose material of her oversized t-shirt. He grazed his fingers by the material of her panties that rested along her hip, making her shiver with every moment he teased her. He loved to tease her, but also loved seeing her let go and relax within his arms. 

Feeling all of the pain of the day melt away as he held her reminded her why they were staying together through all of this. Moments like these were exactly what they each needed; allowing each of them to find peace and comfort within the confines of their current living space.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I said "fluffier," not totally fluffy. ;)   
> I love the dynamic of Merhayes and their ability to shift from light and cutesy to dark and twisty.


	3. Journal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little fluffy sweetness. Our quarantining duo haven't labeled themselves as anything specific, so you get to decide for them what they are. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short and sweet little bit of fluff. Enjoy!

She kept the bedside lamp on for a soft glow of light, just enough to see what she was doing, but not enough to disrupt her bedfellow. The room was silent aside from the mini fridge whirring and the faint sound of cars passing by outside the building. 

Meredith chewed on the end of her pen as she relaxed against the chunky, white pillows of the bed. Her knees were curled up to her chest, giving her small, black journal a resting spot. So much had been going on lately. Everything was taking over her emotions and causing unneeded stress. She had to get it out somewhere, so she turned to her journals. At times it was difficult for her to put thoughts to paper, but right now the words easily drifted from her hands. 

It wasn’t glamorous, but she wrote about the liver resection she did that day on a 12 year old boy. It was one of the few surgeries she’d been able to even do lately. Putting words on paper explaining the feeling of being in the OR helped her to remember why she does the work she was trained to do. It felt so natural to be in the OR, giving a young boy the chance at the full life he deserved. 

She smirked as she dotted her letters and circled the words she wanted to bring focus to. The surgery had also given her three hours to spend face-to-face with the man she couldn’t seem to spend enough time with. She scribbled a few words down on the next page, biting her lip as she dotted the _“C.H.”_ on the faint line of the paper.

Her eyes drifted down to the body next to her, bringing a sense of peace over her as she took in the feeling of being friends– she sighed, or whatever they were, with someone so mature and caring. He was sleeping after a long day of two grueling surgeries, one of which was spent with her. 

She continued to write, refocusing on her page as the end of the pen returned to her lips, allowing her to nibble at it. Writing about the day and catching up on the week helped her to log this experience, something she wanted to be able to share with her kids one day. She carefully wrote her words to not completely disgust Zola or Ellis as young women, knowing Bailey would never dare take a look. Hell, she thought, she may be reading them one day to remember who she was when Alzheimer’s would surely turn her mind into scrap. The thought made her question if she was being detailed enough. She smiled as she continued to scribble her writing along the lines. 

“What are you saying in that novel you’re working on?” 

She sighed after the initial shock of his voice breaking the silence, smirking as she traced her thumb over the words. She glanced over to see Cormac rolled over beside her, facing her. She looked down at him, shrugging. “It’s a secret,” she said quietly.

Hayes chuckled, propping himself up on his elbow, “Sure it is.” He smiled as they looked at one another, reminding him of all of those stolen glances across the operating table. “Read me a line,” he said bluntly. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, seeing a sparkle in his eyes against the darkness of the room. The lamp provided only enough light to see the pages and to see his smile glowing at her. She giggled, nodding, “You win.” Her fingertips dragged along the page, flipping the thin paper back once. “No laughing,” she said with a smirk.

He watched her intently, nodding and pulling the covers up closer as he rested on his side. He smiled as he watched her scan the pages with her eyes. Would she really be willing to read this out loud to him? His heart fluttered at the thought of how vulnerable they were able to be with one another. 

She looked at the page, marking the line with her thumb. Was she really going to share this with him? She began reading quietly from her journal, _“Standing across from him in the OR just feels right.”_ She wasn’t able to look him in the eye, even though she could feel his eyes focusing on her. _“I’ve only felt this connection with one other man in my life. Looking down into an abdominal cavity with C.H. takes me back to the same feeling I had injecting a virus into a brain tumor or peering over a microscope as an intern. Except now, I look across the table or right by my side and I see and feel my equal. I feel his respect and encouragement as we work in sync. His competence and confidence remind me of two of the very most important people in my life. He fits the puzzle. He was the missing piece.”_

She glanced over as she read the final line, _“But no way in hell would I ever let him know that.”_

Cormac gave a closed smile, his eyes doing all of the talking as he reached over her and closed the journal, placing it down beside her. He slid one hand over her abdomen and pulled himself closer to her. He slid a hand up her cheek, grazing his thumb over her delicate skin. “You’re it for me,” he said softly, “and you were my missing piece.”

“Thank God,” she said with a giggle, “because that could have been an embarrassing read.”

He chuckled and pulled her in close and kissed her on the temple, smiling as he looked into her eyes in the faint light. His arms wrapped around her as she curled into him, embracing his arm with her fingertips. Their bodies fit together in the same way their minds and hearts did– like a perfect puzzle, locking together as if they were one another’s missing piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one!


	4. Shirt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A snuggly little one-shot :)

He insisted she head on back to the hotel when a late emergency surgery came up. There was no sense in her spending any additional minutes in that germ-infested hole just waiting around on him. She did as she was told and headed on ‘home’ to the hotel room to relax. It was only 9 pm, but she was ready for a couple hours of quiet before getting some sleep. 

Meredith took in the warmth of the steamy shower, rinsing the day away. Stepping out of the shower, she walked through the room wrapped in the thick, white towel. She sat down on the edge of the bed, enjoying her alone time. She loved having someone so understanding and caring around to keep her spirits up, but a moment of being on her own wasn’t something she was going to pass up. 

She took the time to provide herself with a bit of self care, applying her lotion and brushing her hair out after a long day. She went to the dresser to collect her bra and panties, fumbling for something else to wear before the material hanging off the back of the desk chair caught her eye. She smirked, reaching for it and tossing it on after stepping into a pair of lace, black panties and a matching bralette. She took care of half of the buttons, turning to look at herself in the mirror. Seeing the shape of her legs made a rush of confidence take over her body. She lifted the collar up to her nose, taking in the scent that had been absorbed into the fabric. Nuzzling into the shirt, she cozied herself up and crawled onto the bed. 

She laid on top of the sheets, pulling out her book and relaxing into the pillows. There was something so relaxing about this time of peace and quiet. She felt a bit mischievous curling up in the fabric that had just recently been donned by a man she had such a liking for. There was something so comforting about having on his previously-worn shirt. It smelled of him, making her smile to herself as she nestled into bed. 

She spent the next several hours enjoying a book she’d been meaning to get around to as the TV flickered in the background. It was quiet and relaxing; just enough to put her right to sleep.

It was nearly two in the morning by the time he made it in. Cormac quietly snuck into the room, seeing the lamp still lit, but knowing she was surely asleep by then. His heart nearly stopped as he spotted her laying across the bed, sleeping peacefully with her book resting against her chest. He noticed the only clothing she had on, taking a deep breath as he saw the curve of her ass peeking out just beneath the edge of his blue button-down shirt he had on the night before. 

He looked her over, focusing on her body as a soft smile appeared on his face. She did this to him on purpose, he was sure of it, but looking at her made his heart flutter. Her legs were slender and toned, all the way up to the edge of her cheeky panties that forced him to swallow back the feeling of being suddenly turned on. 

He couldn’t take his eyes off of her as he quietly dropped his bag and snuck into the bathroom to get ready for bed. He figured she must’ve been out cold when he returned to the bedroom and she was still sleeping. Cormac slipped over by the bed beside her, pulling the book gently from her lap and sliding her bookmark in place for her. He placed the book on the bedside next to her phone and water bottle. 

He chuckled to himself as he recalled the early days of their quarantining together. They began with rooms next door to one another before changing to conjoined rooms, quickly realizing they began to spend all of their time together in one room.

After the first night that their lips met, the spiral into this whirlwind romance,  _ or whatever they wanted to call it _ , quickly resulted in a shared hotel room with a king size bed. 

The idea of one day sleeping alone again freaked him out just as much as it did her. They’d found who made them comfortable– their person who felt like home.

He didn’t even know what they truly were. Were they a couple? Maybe. He didn’t know. She probably didn’t either. They filled the void each of them had left open. They cared for one another endlessly. As he looked down at her, he traced his fingers along her hairline, pushing her hair back and kissing her gently on the forehead. The view of her body turned him on more than he was able to handle at that hour. He shook it off and slid the covers out from under her, tucking her in gently as to not wake her. 

He stepped around the bed to crawl into his side of it, turning off the lamp before sliding under the sheets. He snuggled up close to her, gently sliding her against his body to not startle her. He adjusted her into his arms as he felt her shift in her sleep. 

“Hmm,” she mumbled softly, just barely awake. 

“Back to sleep,” he whispered against her hair, feeling her move her hands over his arms that were wrapped around her. 

She laced her fingers over the backs of his hands, lifting one in her sleep. He suddenly questioned if he’d been too forward, even though he knew she’d be okay with it, or if he’d made her uncomfortable. He smirked when he felt her slide his hand under his shirt she was wearing, slipping it under the material and resting it against her abdomen, just above the lace of her panties.

He nuzzled his face into her hair, taking her in as he inhaled the fresh scent of her dirty blonde locks. She rotated just slightly, looking back at him partially asleep with a soft smile on her face, “Goodnight,” she said quietly. 

He smiled, leaning over her just enough to reach her lips. He pressed his lips to hers, feeling her fingers tighten around his hand that rested on her abdomen. She embraced the kiss, letting him linger for more than a few moments before he pulled away slowly and sank back behind her, curling her in closer than before whispering, “Goodnight.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!


End file.
